The Bel-Air's famous swans will be taking a trip this fall.
Photo: courtesy of the hotel
As we recently reported, the Hotel Bel-Air will close September 30 for an 18-month renovation. Since its conversion to a hotel in 1946 (it was originally built by oil tycoon and real estate developer Alphonzo Bell as his office space), this shaded oasis on Stone Canyon Road has provided an island of serenity in the midst of the urban chaos of Los Angeles.
Over the years, it's been a haven for bold face names, including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, John and Jackie Kennedy, Ronald and Nancy Reagan, Oprah Winfrey, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Cary Grant, Judy Garland, Martha Stewart, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Michael Jackson – among many others. Zagat Buzz chatted with the hotel's general manager, Tim Lee, about what people can expect when the hotel reopens in 2011.
Merrill Shindler: The Bel-Air may be the most iconic hotel in Southern California. Why mess with perfection?
Tim Lee: The last renovation was in 2006. It was just a refurbishment, just soft goods. The guestrooms need modernization. There's no cell phone access here in the canyon. Our guests need their cell phones to work, it's a hardship for them to have no access – we're going to correct that. There are so many details that need to be upgraded. To us, every guest that steps across our bridge is a celebrity.
MS: One of the biggest changes is that you're building a spa.
TL: We're adding a spa because our guests do not like to leave the property – once they're here, they stay here. There'll be seven treatment rooms and three spa suites. The spa will be surrounded by the beauty and landscaping of our grounds. We're also adding seven new villas on the property.
MS: How are the guests who have reservations after the hotel closes dealing with the shock and the pain?
TL: We've contacted all our guests with reservations beginning October 1. We don't want [them] to live through construction noise. They come here for a magical setting – it's calm and tranquil. Luckily, the Dorchester Collection has a sister property in town, the Beverly Hills Hotel, so they'll be staying there until we restore this grand old lady. Our guests have been coming here for years. They take as much pride in the Bel-Air as we do. And we'll be pampering them at the Beverly Hills with massages and spa treatments and the beautiful bungalows.
MS: How about the neighbors? They can't be happy to have a major construction project going on in their well-tended backyards.
TL: Our neighbors are completely supportive of what we're doing. We haven't had a single complaint. In fact, our immediate neighbors are timing their renovations to coincide with ours. [Some] are even letting us use their property for parking. We have no problems. Once we close, the quicker we can finish. We're keeping our construction to nine to five, so the noise won't bother anyone.
MS: I'm worried about the swans. Will they be going to the Beverly Hills Hotel as well?
TL: Our swans Chloe, Athena and Hercules – eight-year-old mute swans – are our signature and our logo. We have a special veterinarian who takes care of [them]. We're finding a home for the swans where they can live well while we remodel. We've talked to several reserves. The swans will be back when the renovation is finished, in excellent shape.
MS: And what sort of shape will the bar and the restaurant be in? They rank No. 1 in Zagat surveys for Appeal and Decor, respectively. How can you possibly make them better?
TL: The restaurant redesign is being done by the Rockwell Group. [The rooms are being redecorated by Alexandra Champalimaud.] Changes are important. But we're not making changes for the sake of making changes. Our main focus is that we don't alter the magic. There is no other place in the world like this. There's never a good time, but, if ever, this is the best time. We hope to come back with the economy in full bloom. Eighteen months – and we'll be back.
– Merrill Shindler